Building Bridges. Opening Minds. Empowering Communities.
December 2021
A Message To Our Supporters
Dear friends,

After a long year which demanded our flexibility and patience, I am writing to you with a simple message of thanks. While our ongoing public health challenges limited in-person activities, we nevertheless enjoyed a fruitful year of creative, engaged, and impactful programming. 

This is possible in large part due to your ongoing support and interest in our mission to build bridges, open minds, and empower communities.

In the snapshot below of our 2021 accomplishments, you will notice four areas of focus in our work:

  • mentorship and professional advancement;
  • policy literacy and civic engagement;
  • exchanges and learning about Pakistan and the United States; and
  • cultural heritage and creative expression.

As we enter the new year, I hope we can continue to depend on your support of these important values. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to APF and becoming a member of APF.

I look forward to our continued collaboration. Happy New Year! 

Sincerely,
Shamila N. Chaudhary
President, APF
2021 Snapshot
The APF Board of Directors and leadership during a gathering in New York City this year; from left: Kashif Riaz, Zarrar Sehgal, Dr. Nasar Qureshi, Sofia Manekia, Dr. Uzma Iqbal, Shamila N. Chaudhary, Kashif Zafar

  • We hosted 18 virtual events last year on a variety of issues, including the future of higher education in Pakistan; partnerships between entrepreneurs in Lahore and Texas; and the political lives of South Asian Americans.

APF Foreign Policy Fellows presented their final projects to U.S. policymakers and experts.
  • We highlighted Pakistani American voices, publishing 12 articles on the APF Blog Active Voice. We wrote about the importance of studying Urdu; the links between storytelling and identity; and profiled artist Shahzia Sikander. 

  • We graduated 15 fellows from the APF Foreign Policy Fellowship, a unique cohort-based training module that provides direct mentorship and education to students aspiring to work in U.S. foreign policy.


  • We launched the APF Restaurant Guide to support restaurants in our community facing the financial stresses of the pandemic.
APF members donated children's books about the Pakistani American experience to Little Free Libraries in their neighborhoods.
  • The APF Connect mentorship platform grew to over 600 users. The platform connects mentees with mentors for career advancement.


  • We expanded the APF Board of Directors. Last year, Dr. Nasar Qureshi assumed leadership as the Chair of the APF Board of Directors and we welcomed the following new board members: Invest2Innovate CEO Kalsoom Lakhani, CRV General Partner Anna Khan, Jadu AR CEO Asad Malik, public health expert Dr. Syra Madad, and investor Saleem Ahmad.
Thank you for your support!
Together, we will empower communities and build bridges.
Help APF expand its reach & impact in the United States and Pakistan.